Text Size

-

+

reset

Former presidential challenger John Edwards went on stage this week in Michigan endorsing Barack Obama and put the brakes on any momentum Hillary Clinton might have seized from her West Virginia primary rout.
AP Photo

There is no doubt, however, about the impact of the March 21 event in Oregon that came on the heels of Obama’s well-received speech in Philadelphia about race in America.

Richardson’s effusive endorsement drowned out the Wright story, sent a powerful signal to Hispanics and other superdelegates, and so angered Clinton supporters that consultant James Carville was reduced to calling his former friend “Judas.”

“It’s like playing a bridge hand,” said Peter Hart, a Democratic polling expert. “You want to use your trump cards at the right time and in the right way.”

Beyond the big names, the Obama campaign has also employed his superdelegate pledges to create a lower-decibel — drip, drip, drip — feeling of inevitability to his nomination quest.

It began as trickle after Super Tuesday, with two superdelegates announcing one day, followed by another one two days later. Then they came in threes and fives. Now there seems to be a steady flow, boosting Obama to what is currently a 288.5 to 270.5 advantage over Clinton.

In addition to unveiling Edwards, Obama countered Clinton’s West Virginia win this week with endorsements from another former Bill Clinton-era DNC chairman, Roy Romer; the steelworkers union; the NARAL Pro-Choice America abortion-rights group; and three former Securities and Exchange commissioners.

“You don’t have control of your own destiny, because a lot depends on when these people want to come out, and they have different ways to stage it,” said Bill Carrick, a neutral Democratic consultant. “But when you have three or four a day, you have a story every day about it.”

The incremental nature of the process runs counter to rumors earlier in the campaign that the Obama camp had a sizeable bloc of superdelegates that planned to endorse him after Ohio or North Carolina and decisively shift momentum in the race. Burton dismisses those strategic musings as “just rumors.”

Doug Schoen, another independent Democratic consultant, says that, ultimately, a slower strategy is the best one for the campaign.

“By doing it that way, they are avoiding the charge that the bosses, the party leaders and insiders, are conspiring to deny Hillary a voice and voters a choice,” said Schoen.

“My sense of it is that everything is working to their advantage. They get more press each time they do it. They are not looking like they are trying to steamroll Hillary. And the inevitability is fed,” he added.

Obama better keep some high profile endorsements in his back pocket in order to make headlines after losing Kentucky AND Oregon next week. And another for Puerto Rico and just to be on the save side, some more in case voters from Montana and South Dakota vote for Hillary...

Of lately, starting with Richardson, Obama's bigger endorsements such as Edwards or NARAL do not make any sense at all.

"I care about the voters of my state, I honor their choice and respect the primary vote and that is why I endorse the guy who finished second in my state..."

"I want a candidate who vows to fight poverty, who gives a voice to the unheard less fortunate members in our society and that is why I endorse the guy who lost 70% of that specific group in the primaries. BTW, thank you for the Kawasakis, Elizabeth loves them."

"We support a candidate who is a champion for women's rights, who fights for the right of women to chose and that is why we support the guy who voted present on the issue 7 times and who is supported by pro-lifer Casey because of his commitment to pro-life. The other possibility, the woman who fought for women's rights for over 30 years, well, you know, she is a Clinton, does wear pantsuits and is way to tough, not feminine enough... and what is 3 decades compared to this heartthrob?"

Obama-campaign have been doing this since Texas, dropping Superdelegates at every major defeat to disguise the fact Hillary Clinton won most of the primaries since the Wright-controvery. There is nothing left of the "Obama change message", or "transcend the races", but the very professional senior Dems behind maximizing the win he did while media consentrated on Hillary. We get it! Senior-Dems think the Clintons got too big and don't want them back. Voters are what's keeping Hillary in right now: +41% is a WOW-win. She should take those voters to the convention and make "sweetie" Obama do his good fight the old fashion way, out in the open: The convention is one debate Obama can't run away from.

The unpledged delegates are pledging now, and seem to be in line for Obama. Howard Dean is probably becoming a little more comfortable about the Convention. Of course, these delegates can still change their minds! Hillary doesn't have to quit, and her supporters don't want her to. Hillary feels she is the best candidate and she intends to go the distance.

Open Message to all Hillbots : Haters back off ! Just because your candidate ran this camapaign miserably, and is in $20 million + debt. It's not our fault. We know how to strategically run a campaign. The hillary supporters really dont know the language of unity. They only understand something, when we squash Hillary and Co's throat with our boots. Since I have few hillbots to play with, I have got four tasks for you: First Iron my shirt, Secondly make me a nice meal..I am hungry, Mop the floor..it's a bit dusty..and the last thing..I ll tell you late night, when I am come back from office. Hillary won the W.Virginia, and Hillbots started popping their heads out again. Do you really want us to get serious about this whole process and kick her back in the remaining primaries ? bish66 and other Hillbots: Don't beg us for the V.P slot, when we are done with this drama. See ya Soon !

"I care about the voters of my state, I honor their choice and respect the primary vote and that is why I endorse the guy who finished second in my state..."

"I want a candidate who vows to fight poverty, who gives a voice to the unheard less fortunate members in our society and that is why I endorse the guy who lost 70% of that specific group in the primaries. BTW, thank you for the Kawasakis, Elizabeth loves them."

Last time I check poverty isn't only a blue collar white person issue. I wish you stop being bitter about you candidate getting her ass handed to her. It's time to unite and win the White House,so that both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama plans can become reality.

There are some people out there who want to declare this race over now, before all the ballots have been counted or even cast. There are some who say they don't know why I'm in this race. So let me tell you why I'm still running.

I'm in this race for everyone who needs a champion. For the hardworking families who are losing sleep over gas prices and grocery costs and mortgage payments and medical bills -- but who never lose that American can-do spirit and optimism.

I'm in this race for the more than 16 million people like you who have supported me -- for the people who have put their hearts into winning this race. You never gave up on me, and I'll never give up on you.

We are in the homestretch. After sixteen months, there are only three weeks left to compete in the final contests. With your help I'm going to keep fighting until every last American has a chance to be heard, and as we learned last night in West Virginia, I know we can win.

Contribute now to keep our campaign going strong.

I'm also in this race because I have the best chance of beating John McCain in November and putting America on the right track.

We proved something in West Virginia last night -- a state every Democratic president has won since 1916. And we proved something in a few other battleground states that have a history of picking presidents. Pennsylvania. Ohio. Arkansas. New Hampshire. New Jersey. New Mexico. Nevada. And, yes, Michigan and Florida.

I am in this race, and so are you, because we both know the stakes in this election are too high to stay on the sidelines.

West Va? You mean that racist state in the south? The Exit Polls show that race played a factor.

What percentage of blacks vote for obama? Do you think race plays a factor? Is it OK if race plays a factor when blacks vote for other blacks? Is it OK when whites vote for other whites? Can you even answer these questions, or do you parrot what tim russert wants you to think?

Barack Obama’s stinging defeat in West Virginia brings a sharp focus on the new coalition he may have to assemble to win the White House in November.

West Viginians rejected the presumptive Democratic nominee by more than a two-to-one margin, one of the widest margins of the primary season. The outcome was the predictable result of familiar demographics: West Virginia’s relatively poor white voters have been Hillary Rodham Clinton’s base since February.